Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 12 February 2026 to Question 111451, whether her Department has undertaken a comparative assessment of changes to aviation passenger taxes in other European countries, including recent reductions in such taxes in Sweden and Germany; and what assessment she has made of the impact on the competitiveness of UK airports of (a) recent increases in Air Passenger Duty and (b) increases in business rates affecting the aviation sector.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The government is committed to the long-term future of the aviation sector in the UK and recognises the benefits of the connectivity it creates between the UK and the rest of the world.
The Government is clear that APD is an appropriate tax that ensures airlines make a fair contribution to the public finances, particularly given that tickets are VAT free and aviation fuel incurs no duty. The Chancellor makes decisions on tax policy at fiscal events, including with regards to the international context
The government introduced a transitional relief scheme to support all businesses, which airports will benefit from. We have also published a Call for Evidence exploring concerns airports have raised around the 'Receipts and Expenditure' valuation methodology and its impact on long-term investment.
To provide long term predictability and stability for the sector, the Government has published a Call for Evidence exploring concerns airports and a small number of other ratepayers have raised around the ‘Receipts & Expenditure’ valuation methodology and its impacts on long-term, high value investments. Through this call for evidence, the government will seek to address issues raised ahead of the 2029 revaluation.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of changes to business rates for the Channel Tunnel from 2025-26 to 2026-27 as a consequence of the (i) business rate revaluation and (ii) surcharge on Rateable Values above £500,000; and whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of those changes on rail investment in Channel Tunnel services.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government cannot comment on the bills of individual ratepayers.
At the Budget, the VOA announced updated property values from the 2026 revaluation. This revaluation is the first since Covid, which has led to significant increases in rateable values for some properties as they recover from the pandemic.
While rateable values have increased, the multipliers rates have decreased, meaning, from April, all ratepayers will face a lower multiplier than they do now, including those paying the high-value multiplier. The Government recognises that this does not necessarily mean a lower bill for everyone which is why, at the Budget, the Government announced a support package worth £4.3 billion over the next three years, including protection for ratepayers seeing their bills increase because of the revaluation.
This support package includes a redesigned transitional relief scheme, which caps bill increases over the next 3 years. Compared to the 2023 transitional relief scheme, the redesigned scheme will provide more support for properties paying higher tax rates (such as the new high-value multiplier), including airports, hotels and key Industrial Strategy properties, who are facing large increases and are important for growth in the UK.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 20 November 2025 to Question 91460 on Airports: Business Rates, if she will publish the revised guidance alongside the draft rating list.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Valuation Office Agency's guidance will be published when the Rating List is compiled on 1 April 2026.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 17 November 2025 to Question 87788, whether airport turnover and revenues were a material consideration in the determination of airports' Rateable Value in the revaluation of business rates; and what information airports are required to pass to the Valuation Office Agency.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Rateable Value of a property is a measure of its annual rental value. The best evidence to use in undertaking such valuations is actual rental evidence. For some classes of property there is a paucity or indeed no rental evidence as these properties are rarely or never let on the open market. In such cases Valuers use other methods such as the Receipts and Expenditure method, which estimates the rental value from an analysis of the trading accounts of the business occupying them.
When valuing by Receipts & Expenditure method considering accounts is a material consideration. The valuation is required to be carried out in relation to the relevant valuation date (01 April 2024 for the 2026 rating list). The accounts available for the years preceding that date should be considered to ensure that they fairly reflect the proper trading position at the valuation date. The outcomes of such valuations are then compared to the limited rental evidence available.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Valuation Office Agency's statistics entitled Non-domestic rating: change in rateable value of rating lists, England and Wales, 2026 Revaluation, published on 26 November 2025, for what reason the average Rateable Values of civil airports have increased by 295%.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The revaluation is required to be carried out in relation to the relevant valuation date, 01 April 2024 for the 2026 rating list.
The current rating list valuation is carried out in relation to the relevant valuation date, 01 April 2021 for the 2023 rating list.
The annual value at each valuation reflects the economic circumstances at each valuation date. The average Rateable Values of civil airports increase 295% reflects the different economic circumstances at each valuation date.
At the Budget, the Government published a Call for Evidence seeking further evidence on the role business rates and its reliefs play in investment. Through this Call for Evidence, the Government is considering options to provide greater predictability and stability in the business rates system for long-term, high-value investments. The Call for Evidence has recently closed, and a Government response will be published in due course.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what data her Department holds on the volumes of imported single-life budget tyres for heavy goods vehicles, including buses and lorries, for a) 2023 b) 2024, and c) the period between 1 January 2025 and 1 August 2025.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is responsible for the collection and publication of data on imports and exports of goods to and from the UK.
Heavy goods vehicle tyres for buses or lorries are classified under commodity code 401120. 401190 would be used for other tyres in this subheading for example motor cars, agricultural and forestry vehicles. However, we are not able to distinguish between single-life budget tyres, and other kinds of tyres within these commodity codes.
HMRC releases imports and exports information monthly, as an Accredited Official Statistic called the Overseas Trade in Goods Statistics (OTS), which is available via their dedicated website (www.uktradeinfo.com).
If you need help or support in constructing a table from the data on uktradeinfo, please contact uktradeinfo@hmrc.gov.uk.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has made an estimate of the level of import of single-life budget tyres for 2026.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is responsible for the collection and publication of data on imports and exports of goods to and from the UK. However, due to the commodity codes used to identify goods being imported or exported, we are not able to distinguish between single-life budget tyres, and other kinds of tyres.
Tyres are classified to several commodity codes within Heading 4011 of the UK Tariff. It is not possible to identify single-life budget tyres within any of the commodity codes found within Heading 4011.
HMRC releases imports and exports information monthly, as an Accredited Official Statistic called the Overseas Trade in Goods Statistics (OTS), which is available via their dedicated website (www.uktradeinfo.com) .
If you need help or support in constructing a table from the data on uktradeinfo, please contact uktradeinfo@hmrc.gov.uk
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of (a) the abolition of non-dom status and (b) increases in levels of taxation on the retention of international shipowners in the UK; what estimate she has made of the number of shipowning individuals or companies that (i) have relocated and (ii) are considering relocating as a result of these changes; and what steps the Government is taking to ensure that the UK remains an attractive base for global shipping and maritime businesses.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government’s priority is improving the UK’s competitiveness internationally and securing economic growth. The reforms to the tax treatment of non-domiciled individuals have been specifically designed to make the UK competitive, with a modern, simple tax regime that is also fair. The reforms establish a tax regime for new residents which is more attractive to new arrivals than the current rules.
The introduction of a residence-based tax system is expected to raise £39.5bn by 2030-31 (as costed by the OBR last autumn), and the OBR have said that there is no firm evidence to change the estimated impact of the reforms on migration. As set out at Budget 2025, the Chancellor has been clear that she will continue to assess the regime to ensure it strikes the right balance, including on competitiveness.
The Government published a Tax Information and Impact Note for this policy on 30 October 2024, which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tax-changes-for-non-uk-domiciled-individuals/reforming-the-taxation-of-non-uk-domiciled-individuals
Regarding global shipping and maritime businesses, the Government is maintaining the Tonnage Tax regime, introduced in 2000 to improve the competitiveness of the UK’s shipping industry. This is designed to make it easier for shipping companies to move to the UK and ensures they are not disadvantaged compared with firms operating in other countries.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has conducted a comparative assessment of Air Passenger Duty rates in the UK with aviation passenger taxes and equivalent charges in other European countries; and whether such analysis is used to inform decisions on Air Passenger Duty policy.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
Air Passenger Duty (APD) applies to airlines, not individual passengers, and is the principal tax on the aviation sector. It is expected to raise £4.7 billion in 2025-26.
The Government is clear that APD is an appropriate tax that ensures airlines make a fair contribution to the public finances, particularly given that tickets are VAT free and aviation fuel incurs no duty. Other countries also have different forms of aviation taxes.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions she has had with her G7 counterparts on (a) the potential impact of the oil price cap on the level of the Russian Federation's revenues to date and (b) the potential merits of reducing the level of the oil price cap; and what estimate she has made of the potential impact of the oil price cap on the Russian Federation's fiscal revenues in each of the last three years.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The implementation of the oil price cap has achieved its joint aims of 1) reducing Russian oil revenues by capping the price at which Russian oil can be transported using G7 maritime services (such as insurance and brokering for example), while also, 2) maintaining global oil flows and limiting market in instability.
This is why the UK, alongside the EU announced our intention to lower the crude oil price cap in July 2025 with Canada, Japan and New Zealand following shortly afterwards.
At 23:01 (GMT) Saturday 31 January 2026 the crude Oil Price Cap will be lowered from $47.60 to $44.10 per barrel. The UK has chosen to mirror the EU's new price to maintain regulatory alignment in targeting Russian revenues and is part of the UK’s ongoing commitment to supporting Ukraine. Remaining aligned with the EU on this matter ensures clarity and ease for UK businesses operating in Europe.
Following the introduction of the oil price cap on crude oil in December 2022, and refined oil products in February 2023, Russian oil export revenues have been significantly reduced. Compared to 2022, the price cap contributed to an approximately 18% fall in Russian oil export revenues in 2023 and 2024, and a 30% decline in 2025. This success, coupled with significantly lower Urals prices, has weakened Putin’s ability to sustain his illegal war in Ukraine.